Elena Rybakina will be looking to return to the Australian Open final this month, having lost to Aryna Sabalenka back in 2023
2024 was a year of two halves for Rybakina, who reached two WTA 1000 finals during the first part of the year, before struggling with illness and injury during the latter months.
She made a big change in the off-season, as Rybakina hired Goran Ivanisevic as her coach, who had most recently worked with 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic.
However, just weeks away from the beginning of the Australian Open, Rybakina announced the return of Stefano Vukov to her team.
Vukov had coached the Kazakh star to success at Wimbledon in 2022, but departed following a poor showing at the US Open in 2024.
Following her announcement, Vukov was provisionally suspended by the WTA while an investigation into his behavior towards Rybakina continues.
The news has shocked the tennis world and has seen many fans question whether Ivanisevic will continue to work alongside Rybakina, a question that he has now answered.
Goran Ivanisevic says he doesn’t know if he will continue as Elena Rybakina’s coach
Speaking in an interview with Bounces, Goran Ivanisevic was asked whether he plans to stay on as Rybakina’s coach amid the recent news of her ex-coach returning to the team.
“I am, for the moment, here,” he said.
“What’s going to happen in a couple of days, I don’t know.
“But for the moment, I am here.
“Hopefully I will stay, and hopefully everything is going to be OK.
“But let’s take [it] day by day.”
When asked whether Vukov being confirmed as a ‘permitted’ coach would signal the end of his partnership with Rybakina, the Croat was eager to wait for the WTA’s decision.
“I can talk to you after WTA makes the decision, and then we can,” said Ivanisevic.
“I just want to wait for WTA; I think it’s fair.
“Then, we’ll see what’s going to be next.
“I don’t want to go too much into the future, it’s today, Tuesday, let’s stay in Tuesday.”
Speaking on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast, Jon Wertheim gave his thoughts on whether Ivanisevic was blindsided by the news.
“One of the reasons he [Ivanisevic] was brought in was to infuse the situation with some joy,” he said.
“So a lot of people, including Goran himself, I was told by reliable sources were surprised when there was this announcement from [Elena] Rybakina that her old coach Stefano Vukov was back in the fold.
“It was a little cryptic the announcement, he wasn’t going to replace Goran but he was back in the team and I was told Goran did not necessarily know this or the extent of it.”
How has Elena Rybakina performed since Goran Ivanisevic joined as her coach?
The future of their partnership may be in question, but things haven’t started too badly for Rybakina and Ivanisevic.
Rybakina made her season debut at the 2025 United Cup, winning four of her five matches as Kazakhstan were defeated in the semi-finals.
Her only defeat came in the last four, as Rybakina lost to Iga Swiatek 7-6, 6-4, in a thrilling clash.
She will no doubt have been disappointed to come up short, but Djokovic praised Ivanisevic and Rybakina for the strong start they made together.
“She started off the season, I saw, with a couple of good wins,” he said.
“I wish them all the best, I texted Goran the other day, I don’t think he’s ever worked on WTA Tour.”
It remains to be seen whether Vukov will be allowed to return to Rybakina’s team, and if that would spell the end to Ivanisevic’s involvement, but regardless of all the noise they’ll be hoping to put on a strong performance at the Australian Open which begins on January 12.
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